Search - Tom Verlaine :: Miller's Tale: Anthology

The Magic of Tom Verlaine's Guitar

Omer Belsky | Haifa, Israel | 06/12/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Miller's Tale contain two parts - a brilliant Live performance, and a selection of Studio recordings by Tom Verliane and Television. I doubt anyone here requires a lesson on who Tom Verlaine or Television are. So I'll go straight into the CDs.The Live album is great. Most of the songs here are equal or superior to the studio originals, with the exceptions of the cuts of Verlaine's self titled first album, which is also one of the instances where everything worked in the Studio. the recording is of very high quality, which is a relief for those of us accustomed to the loust sound on 'The Blow Ups'.The highlights of the First album include mad guitars on ALLWAYS, A superior version of POSTCARD FROM WATERLOO, a nice BREAKIN' IN MY HEART, annd great versions of two calssic Television songs, MARQUEE MOON and PROVE IT.The only weak cut on it is KINGDOM COME, which is a great song (covered by Bowie on his Scary Monsters album), but which doesn't quite live up to the studio version.The second CD, though, is a much more shaky business. Any 'Best Of' compilationist would disagree with anyone else, (For example, I think THE GRIP OF LOVE is a fairly mediocre Veraline song which doesn't belong there), but some things are, I think, objectively wrong here.First, there are two many songs off 'Cover'. I realise it is a matter of the Recording company, and Cover is a great album, but brilliant cuts O FOOLISH HEART and LET GO THE MANSION RITA, are obviously superior to LINDI-LU and FIVE MILES OF YOU. And no matter how you look at it, it's impossible to have only one but from Television's Adventure, and about 5 cuts from Cover.Also obviously missing is LITTLE JOHNNY JEWEL. I would have prefered the original version, bnecause the live version, although superior, is more readily available and the sound recording in it is weak. However, either way, some version of what is arguably Verlaine's best Track simply HAS to be in an anthology of his work.Finally, the CD ends with THE REVOLUTION, a b-side in France. while it is a good song, I doubt anyone will ever claim this is anywhere near the top 10 Verlaine songs. To end the compilation with it is ending with a whimpher rather than with a bang. A more fitting conclusion would have been LITTLE JOHNNY JEWEL or CALL MR. LEE - which is clearly the best song of Television self titled third album, and the only cut off it which could have suited into Marquee Moon.But for all the criticism, this is a hell of an album, containing great tracks, some of them I've mentioned before, and some I haven't. VENUS from 'Marquee Moon' contains some of the cleverest lyrics I've encountered 'I fell right into the Arms of Venus De Milo' (If you don't get it, look on line for a picture of Venus de Milo). WORDS FROM THE FRONT, the title track of Verlaine's third album, captures the essence of the First World War "John died last night/he had no chance/under the surgeon's drunken' hand" The guitar work here is sublime.O FOOLISH HEART might just be Verlaine's most beautiful love song. I don't hear the Lou Reed resemblance people often talk of regarding this song, but it's a killer either way.Other highlights include Verlaine solo efforts such as STALINGRAD, SIXTEEN TULLIPS and AT 4 AM, as well as brilliant TELEVISION tracks CALL MR. LEE and GLORY.In short this is a must have CD for long time fans and people who are new to and unfamiliar with the magic of Tom Verlaine's Guitar."

Get it- Tom needs the royalties

Galina Lvova | New York, NY | 03/22/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Although there's plenty of great, even brilliant songs on these two cds, it still doesn't make too much sense to get it. This compilation is NOT for someone who' never heard any of Tom Verlaine's music and wants a little introduction. The reason is that the first time user will get the wrong overall impression of what Verlaine's about. The best way too start listening to him is to either get the two albums Tom made with Television, or to start with his first solo self-titled album and the amazing "Dreamtime" one, and then see whether you can still listen to anything else anymore without thinking that you'd rather be listening to something by Verlaine instead. In that case you can try to spend some time (and money) to search out his other albums. Which brings me to why "The Miller's Tale" IS useful. See, it contains some of the best songs from Tom's other hard to find albums, and as far as I know has the only LEGALLY recorded live performance of a Verlaine concert that's available. So if you don't have the time, money, or enough desire to search out "Words From the Front", "Cover", etc., or some of Tom's bootleg(but better)live recordings, get this compilation. Otherwise, try E-bay, Gemm, European online stores, etc. Oh, and you can find "Dreamtime" at the Infinite Zero publications website. Get it today. It's time Verlaine got his well deserved royalties."

Criminally overlooked

Galina Lvova | 05/02/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This 2CD set does an adequate job of introducing Verlaine's genius. The live CD is just ferocious, as compelling as Television's "The Blow Up" but tighter. Just great. Amazing guitar work from both Verlaine and compatriot Jimmy Ripp, solid backing by Fred Smith and Jay Dee Daugherty. The retrospective CD is good, though I wish they had chosen fewer tracks from "Cover" and more from the brilliant "Dreamtime" and "Flash Light". But since "Cover" is the only album Verlaine recorded for Virgin (the label behind this release) that's probably to be expected. Big plus - the inclusion of the wonderful Verlaine/Richard Lloyd "Call Mr. Lee," with Lloyd's Stratocaster moving sideways over the chorus like an angry crab.Completists will complain but the uninitiated will enjoy this."